265 



THE OOLOGIST 



what like this came under my obser- 

 vation on August 4, 1911. 



While visiting a friend a few miles 

 rorth of here we found, in a dry 

 swamp in the woods aa indigo bunt- 

 ing's nest. It was placed in a small 

 elderberry bush about nine inches 

 from the ground, and contained 

 three fresh eggs. The male was sing- 

 ing from the top of a dead oak nearby 

 and we flushed the female from the 

 nest. We collected the nest and eggs, 

 and on the way home my friend, who 

 was carrying the nest, complained of 

 ants on his arm, but we thought little 

 of it. When we ar,- ved home we 

 set the nest on the boo'-: case while 

 blowing the eggs. Upon our return 

 we found small black ants pouring 

 from it. On my frieni's house is a 

 large tin drain about two feet wide; 

 here we put the nest and set Tire to 

 it. The ants came oat of the nest 

 in swarms and each carried an egg. 

 The only way I coull account for 

 this is, that there was a herd of plant 

 lice on this bush and they werj mak- 

 ing their home in the nest. 



Colin. 0. Sanborn 

 Highland Park, Ills. 



The last two or three clays the 

 crows have been flying east by the 

 hundreds. On Marcn lltli, lUth and 

 and 13th, of last year, they liew in the 

 same direction. 1 ha/e been wonder- 

 ing if you or any of the readers of 

 the Oologist could, tell me why they 

 do this every year. 



Norma a Flauliain. 

 Port Hope, Ontario. 



In volume 28, number 11, of the 

 Oologist, there is an article (page 176) 

 by Mr. Lyon, of Illinois, on ground 

 doves breeding in confinement. In 

 this article, he makes the statement 

 that he saw "four eggs in the nest." 



I have watched ground doves for ten 

 years, and in that time have investi- 

 gated scores of nests, but never have 

 I found four, or even three eggs. 

 Without exception, two only, is the 

 number. Perhaps it is a typograph- 

 ical error. Or, perhaps, in confine 

 ment, the doves would lay four eggs. 

 Anyhow I would like to hear from 

 others on this point, and particularly 

 Mr. Lyon, himself, through this 

 paper. 



R. .1. Longs tree t. 

 De Land, Florida. 



Goldfinches. 



In this locality, the Goldfinches have 

 for years built their nests almost ex- 

 clusively in young maple trees. 



One Sunday last July, during the 

 height of the nesting season for this 

 bird, I went for a walk through a grove 

 which has always been a favorite 

 breeding place. I was much surprised 

 to find but a single nest of the spe- 

 cies. The birds seemed to be just as 

 numerous as heretofore and I could 

 not account for the scarcity of nests. 



On the following Sunday, accompan- 

 ied by a friend, we made another thor- 

 ough investigation of the grove, but 

 the result was the same as before. 

 Passing on to a clearing, a short dis- 

 tance beyond, the mystery was soon 

 solved. 



This clearing, from which the tim- 

 ber had been cut a few years previous- 

 ly, was overgrown with bushes of var- 

 ious kinds, and a new growth of oak 

 and bass-wood. 



Here the "Wild Canaries" had taken 

 up their residence, and many nests 

 were found, mostly in the young 

 growth of oak. 



In the maples, the nests were usual- 

 ly from eight to twelve feet up, while 

 here they were from three to six feet. 



Chas. W. Pelton. 

 Marshfield, Wisconsin. 



